In-form Breakers too slick for blank Bullets
A 21-point first-half scoring burst from Kiwi guard Izayah Le’afa and a season-high 29 from star import Jarrell Brantley powered the New Zealand Breakers to an Australian NBL-best 10th victory for 2022-23 in Auckland yesterday.
Le’afa, Brantley and their Breakers team-mates had too much for an undermanned, and shell-shocked, Brisbane Bullets to handle as they led by as many as 30 in the second period and 65-47 at halftime. From there they coasted to a 37-point victory that was never in doubt.
The Breakers, with their seventh win in the last eight games, and fourth on the bounce, improve to a league-best 10-3 for the season, while the Bullets, who sacked their coach on Friday and crossed the Tasman down key big men Aron Baynes and Tyrell Harrison, sink to 3-7.
There was a lot to admire about a polished Breakers display on the back of another sapping trip across the Tasman for a Friday victory over the Cairns Taipans (82-71). They shot the ball well (60 overall for the game, to post their highest score of the season), found the right players in the right spots, and made short work of a Bullets outfit down on confidence.
Brantley’s class shone as the powerful American posted a season-high 29 points, on 13-of-19 shooting, to go with eight rebounds and five assists.
The Bullets had nothing to counter his strength in the low post, though he also slotted a couple of triples to showcase his well-rounded game.
Le’afa set a mighty tone early with all 21 of his points coming in the first half. He made seven of his 10 shots and added four boards and five rebounds.
Centre Dererk Pardon continued his fine form with 16 points and four boards, while Barry brown Jr added 17 off the bench at a 5-of-15 clip. Tom Abercrombie and Cam Gliddon added nine points apiece for the victors.
The Bullets were paced by 19 points from Tanner Krebs, but lacked the scoring firepower to stick with the slick Breakers from the off.
The hosts were slick through the first two periods, perhaps guilty of letting the foot off the throat a little as they allowed the visitors to battle back from a 30-point deficit (62-32) with three minutes left in the second stanza to a more respectable 18 (65-47) at the major break.
Still, the Breakers did not do a lot wrong, other than foul too much (15-6 over the first two periods, giving the Bullets 22 freethrows to seven). They shot a stellar 63% from the floor and 66% from beyond the arc (10 of 15) as Le’afa poured in 21 first-half points.
Next up for the Breakers are the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Christchurch on Thursday.